Feeler mechanism for looms.



A. E. RH OADES. FEELEB'MECHANISMY FOR LOOMS. 'APPLICATION FILED AUG.29.I916,

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

(Ides.

\nvenToT. go ERho m M 0 0 N M I A m 7 .12 my a m F W M M 5 F3. W a 7,.

"MINI i I m a citizen of the United States,

. representing like parts.

the filling the reed upon the lay ALONZO E. RHOADES, 01F I-IOPEDALE,MASS MEETS, TO DRAIPEJEL CORPORATIUN, 015

TIL-ON OF lVIAIl'l'E.

ACH'USEKETS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- I-IUPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORA- FE'JEJLER MECHANISM FUR LUUMS.

Application and August: as, 1916.

To all Elf/L01 may (Zone/Wu Be it known that I, Anonzo l0. fliliioAnns.and r sident. oi l'lOPOtlttlO, county of l l orcester, State ofMassachusetts, have invented an improvement in Feeler lllechanisiii. torl'looms, of which the following description, in eonnection With theaccompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawingThis invention relates to iluprm ezuents in automatic looms in which thefecler enters theruuning shuttle to feel upon the filling carriertherein and upon detection of substantial exhaustion of fillinginitiates the action oi inechanisn'i which etiects a change in theoperation of the loom, such. as the suh- .stitution of a fresh fillingcarrier for an e2- hausted one, or serves to stop the loom.

Lin usual loom constructions the footer enters the shuttle box throughthe front wall, thereof and operated by contacting with upon the fillingcarrier upon. the heatt up oi? the lay. in. such case the binder whicharrests the shuttle is usually located at the rear side of the shuttlebox and d1" verts the shuttle away from the plane of it enters theshuttle hot.

In making hard "weaves, particular-l7, upon Wide loonis it is found thatthe loom Will act more effectively ii the shuttle is not inverted .;inthis inanner away from the plane of the (Ti the shuttle. tho l vid reed,it is desirable therefore that the shuttle bones be equipped with frontbinders. lVhen therefore, the usual teeler is employed it is necessaryto cut an. aperture through the front hinder and inasmuch as the shuttleengaging surface oi: the hinder is curved, the edges of the walls of thea 'ie'rture Wear away the shuttle quite rapidlyv The ohjeet, oil? thepresent invention is to provide a looin having -Front. hinders withfeeler mechanism which will not necessitate the cutting; of an aperturethrough the binder. This accon'iplished in the preferred einliiodimentoi the invention illustrated herein by mounting the teoler upon the layand so iiiositiou 1,; the same that it, enters the rear sill. (it theshuttle limit to feel upon the filling mirrier shuttle.

in order not to iuterii rc with the l ght normally with on and means areheld from feeling pol Specification of Letters Patent.

in. the running;

lt atented tree. 3, ftt'fi tni Eterial No. 117,552.

illustrate a 'n'eferred enihodinientof my invention applied to anautomatic filling replenishing loom but it will he understood that theteeter may be utilized to eti ect other changes in the operation of theloom such as the stoppage thereof.

In the drawings;

l igure 1 is a plan view of the end of the loom frau'ie including thebreast beam and shipper plate and a section of the end of the lay and.shuttle box carried thereby showing the improved tleeler mechanismapplied thereto Fig. 2 is an end. view showing the t'eoler mechanismapplied to the loom and illustrating the shuttle hon, carrier insection,

Fig. 3 is a Front elevation of the standard which supports thetransmitter operating; lever, a portion of the end of the trans initterand its hearing being shown.

'llhe invention is illustrated herein as appliedv to the Northrop typeof automatic titling replenishing loom-Which is providml Withtransferring niechanisni tor autouiatieally thrusting; a fresh fillingcarrier into the running shuttle and ejecting the used rarrierthereto-one said transferring. mechanism being controlled by the usualcontroller shaft having a latch adapted to he positioned in the path ofa moving actuator upon call for transfer and operated. by said movingactuator to cause the proper operation of the trai'isterring mechanism.

Inasmuch as these mechanisms are well known. their illust 'ation istlIHlCCGSL-HUTV, so that; only a portion of the end frame of the loomsl'io'wil'ig the feeler and the nit-ehai'lisuis with which itinnnediatel cooperates are illustrated in the drawing.

The drawing illustrates the end ot the shuttle and filling till ltlti li, it

The usual controller shaft. 6 is provided with an arm having abifurcated end 7 in which the end of a latch 8 is mounted, the oppositeend ,of said latch preferably lying normally in the path of a movingactuator 9 such as the weft hammer. -These mechanisms may be and are ofusual construction.

The latch 8 is adapted to be moved out of operative relation to themoving actuator 9 by a suitable transmitter which is actuated by thefeelcr mechanism in a manner hereinafter to be described.

The shuttle boxes 10 are preferably provided with relatively thick rearwalls 11, and the binders 12, which may be of a usual type, are carriedby the front walls, so that as the shuttle 13 is arrested it is pressedagainst the rear wall of the shuttle box and its path of flight directedclosely adjacent the reed.

The shuttle may be equipped with the usual types of filling carrieremployed in filling replenishing looms, but preferably is provided Witha bobbin 14 having a feeling slot 15 in its barrel adapted to receivethe.

feeler upon. substantial exhaustion of the filling upon the bobbin.

In order to avoid cutting through the binder and thereby weakening thesame and causing it to present edges which wear the shuttle, a novelfeelcr mechanism is provided in which the feeler enters the shuttlethroughthe rear wall of the shuttle box, the

. feelcr-supporting mechanism preferably being mounted upon the rearwall of the shuttle box.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown herein the feelcr isin the form of a rod 16 slidably mounted in an aperture 17 in the rearwall of the shuttle box, and is pivotally connected at its outer end tothe lower end of a lever 18. The lever 18 is provided, intermediate ofits ends, with a hub which is mounted upon a stud 19 projectinglaterally from a stand 20 suitably secured to the'rear wall of theshuttle box. The stand 20 is provided with an upward extension 21 havinga guide 22 for an arm 23 which is pivotally connected to the upper endof the lever 18. The pivotal connections between the lever 18 and thefeelcr 16 and arm 23 respectively have sutlicient play to permit theslight arcuate movement of the lever 18 without causing the feelcr orarm to bind in their guides 17 and 22. i

In prder not to interfere with the flight of the shuttle it is necessarythat the feelcr shall be normally Withheld from feeling position andthis convenientlyis accomplished by a spring 24 preferably encirclingthe hub upon the lever 18 and anchored at one end to a pin on the stud19 and at the other engaging the lever 18 in such a manner as normallyto remove the feelcr from feeling position, a stop 25 being providedupon the extension 21 of the stand 20 to limit the movement of the lever18 under the action of the spring 24.

The mechanism which cooperates with the feelcr thus described preferablycomprises a lever 26 having a central hub pivotnlly mounted upon a stud27 projecting laterally from a stand 28 which desirably is adjustablysecured by a bolt 29 to a flange 30 depending from the end of theshipper plate. the lever 26 being provided at its upper end with amember 31 pivotally connected to the lever 26 and extending through aguide 32 in an extension 33 of said stand. so that the end of the memberor arm 31 is in alinement with the end of the arm 22% of the feelcrmechanism.

A screw 33 seated in the end of the arm 31 and adapted to be secured inadjusted position therein by a lock nut 3. provides means whereby thecooperative relation of the members 31 and 23 may be regulated to adaptthe feeler for use with filling carriers of dilferent diameters or withshuttles of different width.

A spring 35 anchored at one end to a pin on the stud 27 and encirclingthe hub of the lever 26, and at the other end engaging the lever 26serves normally to rock the upper -end of the lever 26 toward the feelcrincchanism and its movement in that direction is limited preferably by astop 37 projecting from the extension 33 of the stand 28 into the pathof the upper portion of the lever.

The lever 26 is operntivcly connected at its lower end to a suitabletransmitter which is adapted to move the latch in relation to then'ioving actuator under the control of the feelcr mechanism upondetection by the feelcr of the condition of the filling upon the fillingcarrier.

A preferred form of transmitter which is illustrated herein comprises arock shaft 38 mounted in bearings 39, 10 in the end of the yoke 41 whichhas an upwardly extending flange 4-2 adjustably connected by a bolt 43with a lug or flange 4 1 extending upwardly from the shipper plate 2.

The rock shaft 38 is provided atone end with a crank 15 which ispivotnlly connected to the lower end of the lever 26. At its oppositeend the rock shaft is provided with an offset portion or crank 46 whichengages a suitable slot 47 in the end portion of the latch 8.

\Vhen the rock shaft or transmitter 38 is oscillated by the movement ofthe lever 26 it serves to shift the position of the latch relatively tothe path of the end of the moving actuator 9 as is usual in automaticloom constructions. In some instances the'latch is normally maintainedin the path of the moving actuator and removed therefrom so long as thefcel'tlr engages the filling upon the filling carrier and remains in thepath to oscillate said lever to advance the feeler to feeling positionand itself operable by saidlever upon engagement by the feeler withfilling upon the filling carrier to prevent a change in the operation ofthe loom butoperating upon detection by the feeler of substantialexhaustion of filling upon the filling carrierto effect a change in theoperation of the 100m.

6. In an automatic loom a feeler mounted upon the lay and positioned toenter the rear side of the shuttle box and feel upon the filling carrierin the running'shuttle, a spring actuated lever connected at one end tosaid feeler and normally acting to Withhold the feeler from feelingposition, an-

arm connected to the opposite end of said lever, yieldable means carriedby the stationary part of the loom adapted to engage said arm andadvance the feeler to feeling position and operable by said feeler uponengagement by the latter with the filling upon the filling carrier toprevent a change in the operation of the loom but operating upondetection by the feeler of substantial .exhaustion of filling upon thefilling carrier "opposite end of said-lever, means comprising a springof greater strength than that of the spring for the feeler actuatinglever adapted toengage the feeler actuating lever upon the beatup ofthelay whereby the feeler is advanced to feeling position and uponengagement with the filling upon the filling carrier causes theactuation of both of said levers in the opposite direction. and meansoperable by said means to avoid the action of the transferring mechanismbut adapted upon detection by said feelerwf substantial exhaustion offilling to effect the change in the operation of the loom.

8. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a transferringmechanism and means for operating the same including a controller havinga latch adapted to cooperate with a moving actuator, a transmitterengaging said latch, means for operating said transmitter comprising alever having a spring acting normally to maintain said latch inoperative relation to said moving actuator, a feeler mounted upon the lay and positioned to enter the rear side of the shuttle box and feel uponthe filling carrier in the running shuttle, a spring actuated leverconnected at one end to said feeler and at its opposite end to an armpositioned in operative relation to a member carried by the transmitteroperating lever whereby upon the beat-up of the lay the engagement ofsaid member with the arm upon the fe'eler actuating lever will advancethe feeler to feeling position and upon engagement with the filling onsaid fillingcarrier and upon further movement will actuate said leversand said transmitter to remove the latch fronrthe path of the movingactuator but upon detection of substantial absence of filling willpermit engagement by said latch with the moving actuator to cause theaction of the transferring mechanism.

9. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising a transferringmechanism and means for operating the same including a controller havinga latch adapted tocooperate with a moving actuator, a transmittercomprising a rock shaft having an offset end engaging said latch andprovided at its opposite end with a crank, a lever pivotallv mountedupon a stationary portion of the loom frame connected to said crank. aspring engaging said lever and normally acting to retain said latch inoperative relation to a moving actuator, a member connected to theopposite end of said lever overlying the path of the lay, a feelermounted upon said lay to enter the rear wall of the shuttle box and feelupon the filling carrier in the running shuttle, a spring actuated leverconnected at one end to said lever and operating normally to withholdthe feeler from feeling position. an arm connected to the opposite endof said lever adapted to engage said member upon the beat-up of the lavwhereby upon said engagement of said arm with said member the feelerwill be advanced to feeling position and upon engagement with thefilling upon the filling carrier will actuate said transmitter operatinglever and transmitter to remove the latch from the path of the movingactuator and upon detection of substantial exhaustion of filling willpermit the latch to remain in the, path of the moving actuator therebycausing the action of the transferring mechanism.

in the running shuttle, a spring actuated lever connected at one end tosaid feeler and at its opposite end to an arm positioned in operativerelation to a member earned by an it I the transmitter operating leverwhereby upon the beat-up of the lay the engagement of said member withthe arm upon the feeler actuating lever will advance the feeler tofeeling position and upon engagement with the filling on said fillingcarrier Will actuate said levers to remove the latch from the path ofthe moving actuator and upon detection of substantially absence offilling will permlt 10 engagen'i'ent by said latch of the end of theoperate properly with bobbins of different I size.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALONZO E. RHOADES.

